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Quiz about The Contemporary Classical Music Scene

The Contemporary Classical Music Scene Quiz

These questions cover the classical music scene between 1960 and 2010.

A multiple-choice quiz by edgeboss. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
edgeboss

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
350,005

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
257

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Which composer was the subject of both an award-winning play and an award-winning movie? Hint

George Frederic Handel

Johann Sebastian Bach

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Ludwig Beethoven

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Question 2 of 10

2. The 2005 opera "Doctor Atomic" is about what unusual subject? Hint

An alchemist's attempts to transform lead into gold

This is a bogus question - there is no such opera

The organization of elements into the periodic table

The development of the atomic bomb

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Question 3 of 10

3. Following the fall of the Berlin Wall, which conductor in 1989 led a stirring performance in Berlin of Beethoven "9th Symphony" with performers from both East and West Germany? Hint

Kurt Mazur

Leonard Bernstein

Otto Klemperer

Georg Solti

4. Cellist Yo-Yo Ma, violinist Itzhak Perlman, pianist Gabriella Montero and clarinettist Anthony McGill performed the composition "Air and Simple Gifts" at US President Obama's inauguration. Which composer, known for his film scores, composed the piece? Hint

Aaron Copeland

Erich Wolfgang Korngold

James Horner

John Williams

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Question 5 of 10

5. What is Christopher Hogwood primarily noted for? Hint

conducting period instrument performances

tenor roles in Verdi operas

virtuosic cello performances

composing extremely dissonant orchestral pieces

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Question 6 of 10

6. Nearly synonymous with the Boston Pops Orchestra, which conductor led it from 1930 until his 1979 death? Hint

Seiji Ozawa

Arthur Fiedler

John Williams

James Levine

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Question 7 of 10

7. Cellist Yo-Yo Ma founded this group in 1998 to promote multicultural artistic exchange.
Hint

Pan Asian Philharmonic

Silk Road Project

Blue Rhapsody Chamber Players

Yellow Brick Road Quintet

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Question 8 of 10

8. Which of the following is NOT one of the "Three Tenors"? Hint

Luciano Pavarotti

Jose Carreras

Bryn Terfel

Placido Domingo

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Question 9 of 10

9. Which classical composer's music, played at the end of the Princess Diana's funeral as the cortege walked down the aisle towards the doors, created a stir which vaulted its popularity? Hint

Ralph Vaughn Williams

Sir Edward Elgar

Sir Hubert Parry

John Taverner

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Question 10 of 10

10. Originally a Russian ballet dancer, he moved to the United States where he later became the artistic director for the American Ballet Theater. Hint

George Balanchine

Mikhail Baryshnikov

Rudolf Nureyev

Vaslav Nijinsky

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Which composer was the subject of both an award-winning play and an award-winning movie?

Answer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

The play "Amadeus" by Peter Shaffer, a fictionalized account of Mozart's life, won the 1981 Tony Award for Best Play and the 1984 film won eight Academy Awards.

2. The 2005 opera "Doctor Atomic" is about what unusual subject?

Answer: The development of the atomic bomb

John Adams' opera "Doctor Atomic" is about the development of the first atomic bomb in Los Alamos by J. Robert Oppenheimer. The opera premiered in 2005 at the San Francisco Opera and has been performed subsequently at New York's Metropolitan Opera and Chicago's Lyric Opera.

3. Following the fall of the Berlin Wall, which conductor in 1989 led a stirring performance in Berlin of Beethoven "9th Symphony" with performers from both East and West Germany?

Answer: Leonard Bernstein

Leonard Bernstein conducted this gala concert of Beethoven's "9th Symphony" with one significant change. In the "Ode to Joy" sung in the final movement, Bernstein substituted the word for "Freedom" in place of "Joy."

Answer: John Williams

"Air and Simple Gifts" was composed by John Williams, well known for film scores including "Jaws", "Star Wars", "E.T"., "Jurassic Park", "Harry Potter", and "Schindler's List", as well as classical compositions.

The music is evocative of that of Aaron Copeland, composer of film scores such as the "Red Pony" and ballets, including "Appalachian Spring", which also draws on the folk melody "Simple Gifts".

Horner and Korngold are both composers of a great many film scores.

5. What is Christopher Hogwood primarily noted for?

Answer: conducting period instrument performances

Christopher Hogwood, leading the Academy of Ancient Music, is one of the pioneers of period instrument performances.

6. Nearly synonymous with the Boston Pops Orchestra, which conductor led it from 1930 until his 1979 death?

Answer: Arthur Fiedler

The 18th conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra, Arthur Fiedler gave the group its character and made it one of the best known classical groups to the general public. John Williams succeeded Fiedler after his death. Ozawa and Levine were both conductors of the nearby Boston Symphony Orchestra.

7. Cellist Yo-Yo Ma founded this group in 1998 to promote multicultural artistic exchange.

Answer: Silk Road Project

Since its beginning, the Silk Road Project has promoted various educational offerings and collaborations with schools from elementary through university level as well as commissioning the composition a number of new works. The Silk Road Ensemble has presented numerous performances furthering the Project.

8. Which of the following is NOT one of the "Three Tenors"?

Answer: Bryn Terfel

Bryn Terfel is a Welsh base-baritone, not one of the three tenors.

9. Which classical composer's music, played at the end of the Princess Diana's funeral as the cortege walked down the aisle towards the doors, created a stir which vaulted its popularity?

Answer: John Taverner

John Taverner's "Song For Athene" was actually written in 1993 as a tribute to a young friend of Taverner's who was killed in an accident. However it was relatively unknown until Princess Diana's funeral in September of 1997.

The other musical item at the funeral which really caught the public's attention was the classic (but not classical) "Candle in the Wind" by Sir Elton John and Bernie Taupin.

10. Originally a Russian ballet dancer, he moved to the United States where he later became the artistic director for the American Ballet Theater.

Answer: Mikhail Baryshnikov

Mikhail Baryshnikov left Leningrad for Canada before making his way to the United States where he danced for the New York City Ballet, before joining the American Ballet Theater first as a dancer and later as its artistic director.

Source: Author edgeboss

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